With revenue for federal transportation falling fast, lawmakers face a major challenges in funding the next transportation bill. (The Hill) The New York Times reviews a new book on how cyclists are altering the landscape of American cities. Southern Florida’s Tri-Rail system faces major cuts and the possibility of being completely shut down by 2011. [...]

President Obama was back on the road today to garner support for the economic stimulus package still currently in the Senate. He was speaking today at a town hall forum in Ft. Myers, Florida, and near the end of his hour-long session, a city councilwoman asked him about transportation and infrastructure in the stimulus. Here’s how he responded:

The New York Times editorial board applauds California’s passage of an anti-sprawl bill and urges other states to follow its lead.

With a new bill signed on Tuesday by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, California’s planning agencies gain new ammo in the fight against sprawl, carbon emissions, and climate change. (Associated Press — Steve Lawrence)

Ryan Avent examines how sprawling development in the Sun Belt is changing communities while perpetuating an increasingly unsustainable method of growth. (Beta Culture 11)

Republicans in Minneapolis for their party’s convention sit down at the University of Minnesota to talk about our long history of subsidizing sprawl, the gravitational pull towards mass transit, and the need to develop a clear federal policy on transportation. (American Prospect — Dana Goldstein)

Cato Institute Senior Fellow Randal O’Toole attacks planners and smart growth, vilifies public transportation, and defends auto-centric development and sprawl in his new book. (Marketwire)

Bill in California to combat sprawl and climate change nears final approval. (New York Times — Felicity Barringer)

With California on the verge of approving landmark legislation to curb greenhouse gas emissions and sprawl with more compact development, the Los Angeles Times urges Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to pick up his pen and make it official.

Slate‘s Daniel Gross notes that while anti-transit advocates habitually decry government funding of public transportation, they gloss over the billions in subsidies provided for highways.